Sir John Major told the Leveson Inquiry that Rupert Murdoch had told him he
would lose support from News International titles unless he changed his
policies on Europe.

Sir John, who was the Conservative prime minister from 1990 to 1997, told the Leveson inquiry that he had dinner with Mr Murdoch in February 1997, ahead of the General Election, in an effort to gain support from his newspapers.

"It became apparent in discussion that Mr Murdoch really didn't like our European policies, which was no surprise to me, and he wished me to change our European policies," said Sir John.

"If we couldn't ... his paper would not and could not support the Conservative Government".

It was impossible we would alter the policies, said Major, who had a "feeling that Mr Murdoch was edging towards a referendum on Europe".

He had not forgotten the exchange, he added, because "it is not very often someone sits in front of a prime minister and says 'I would like you to change your policy and if you don't change your policy my organisation cannot support you'."